It was a wandering, windy, wonderful day of watching.
Watching the squirrels making their last minute runs for stockpiling food. Watching a few lingering geese spread their wings and signal their start south. Watching the remaining oak leaves flicker into the path ahead like large brown flakes of snow.
Lela tightened her grip on her little sister’s hand. The strings from their woolen hats tangled and skipped in the breeze.
The quiet lane was a broad one—the majestic oaks creating a canopied frame for their delighted steps. Piles of gathered leaves rose on either side like the low lying Carolina mountains in the south.
Mingling colors of sunshine rays and fresh berries and hot chocolate with milk blended into a mosaic of artistic abstraction within every delicately crisp pile of fallen leaves.
Lela’s little sister pulled her closer to a heap. “Look, Lela! So pretty.”
They stood there for a moment, gazing thoughtfully at the multi-colored mini landscape before them.
It was like a hazy blur of creamy delight before the tall girl.
“It’s a sign of coming life.” Lela spoke the words quietly, with a hint of meaningful reverence.
The little philosopher of well-known practicality by Lela’s side, frowned. The lower lip pressed inwards with deep thought.
“But Lela,” the words were precise and distressed at the ignorance of one so much older than herself, “they’re dead.”
“Yes,” replied Lela, squeezing the little girl’s hand tenderly, “they’re dying. But it’s sign of coming life. Lord willing, Spring will come.”
Giving a long drawn breath inwards, Lela continued thoughtfully to the bundle of growing wisdom by her side. “It’s like the Shepherd …when we’re His, death can be but an open door to a new life.” After a pause, “makes it not so scary, doesn’t it?”
The little girl nodded slowly, wheels turning purposefully in the mind.
They wandered on.
The wind continued to laugh and play, sometimes lifting leaves and swirling them into the air. Sometimes tossing them from cold branches up above. Sometimes stirring the heavy piles on either side.
Lela brushed away a flying leaf and smiled.
It was final. She knew the doctor’s words.
But now …Lela let tears slip. Her Shepherd had comforted her heart on this quiet, delightful lane.
When the windows of her soul became fully darkened and she could no longer witness the wistful, beautiful, brilliant fallen leaves for herself …she would rejoice.
There would be new life that God would give her in what He had allowed in this valley of shadows. Life that she could experience no other way.
Blindness?
Yes, but sight in a new and glorious way.
True, life might bring many more “deaths” her way. Deaths of dreams. Deaths of that which she loved. Deaths of human will. But with her Shepherd? Each one could become a stepping stone to deeper joy, hope and grace.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:24-25
“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25
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